Key and screw attached gem setting for a finger ring



Jan. 1, 1957 R- EICHHORN 2,775,878

KEY AND SCREW ATTACHED GEM SETTING FOR A FINGER RING Filed Jan. l0, 1955 INVENToR.

Reinhold Eichhorn v l BY 44 44 /2 United States Patent O KEY AND SCREW ATTACHED GEM SETTING FOR A FINGER RING Reinhold Eichhorn, Seattle, Wash.

Application January 10, 1955, Serial No. 480,786

3 Claims. (Cl. 6329) This invention relates to finger rings. More particularly, it has reference to improvements in rings of those types having heads and jewel settings that are interchangeable with diiierent shanks; it being the principal object of the invention to provide novel i-mprovements in the setting, head and shank of a ring, that permits the interchanging of parts, and their assembly in an intertted relationship that imparts a unitary appearance to the ring. The invention is further characterized by the application of a key to the assembled parts whereby the assembled relationship is positively retained.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a ring comprising a combination of parts, as above described, and wherein the key is retained in place by a screw that not only retains the key against displacement but also serves as a means whereby the jewel setting may be drawn into the head and thus caused to be clamped about the jewel or stone that is mounted therein.

Still further `objects and advantages of the invention reside in the details of construction of the various parts of the ring whereby the unitary appearance when in their assembled relationship is made possible, and whereby a ready and easy disassembly for an interchange of parts is provided for.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a view of a linger ring embodying the improvements of the present invention therein, showing the shank, head and setting in their initial assembled relationship, ready to receive the jewel, or stone in the setting, and the key whereby the head is to be locked on the shank.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken through the head, setting and the top portion of the ring shank, on line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top view `of the ring shank before Ithe head and setting have been applied thereto.

Fig. 4 is a view showing the Various parts of the ring in a separated relationship for better illustration and explanatory purposes.

Fig. 5 is a top view of the head portion removed from the shank and with the setting removed therefrom.

Fig. 6 4is a face view of the key that is used to lock the head to the shank.

Fig. 7 is a side view of a part of the ring showing how the extended end of the key may be interlocked with a companion ring to retain the two rings against relative rotation on the wearers inger.

Fig. 7a is an enlarged section taken on line 7a-7a in Fig. 7, with the base of the head lifted out of the shank recess for explanatory purposes.

Fig. 8 is a cross-section, similar to that of Fig. 2, showing the key applied and locked in place by the screw that draws the setting into the head to clamp the jewel.

In the several views of the drawings, the parts of the ring have been substantially enlarged for better showing 2,775,878 PatentedJan. 1, 1957 2 and understanding. Also,in the following specification, the terms top and sides will be in reference to the position in which the ring is shown in Figs. 1 and 8.

Referring now in detail to the drawings:

The ring of the present invention comprises the various parts which have been shown in separated relationship in Fig. 4. These parts, to personsfamiliar with the industry, are designated as the shank 10; head 12; lsetting 13; key 14 and locking screw 15.

The shank 10 is of ring form, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and is provided across the top portion andv at opposite sides of the top, with recesses which coact to provide a mounting seat for the head 12. As shown best in Figs. 4 and 7a, the recesses provide downwardly converging opposite surfaces 16-16 spaced circumferentially of the shank, against which similarly inclined opposite side surfaces of the head 12 are adapted to iiatly engage when the parts are assembled as presently explained. The recessing of the top portion of the shank, as shown in Fig. 4, provides a rectangular block-like portion 18 located medially between the converging surfaces 16-16; this being joined at its ends lto the opposite sides of the body of the shank by portions that are somewhat farther reduced in width and which are designated by the n umerals l19-19. The block portion 18 is formed with a transverse, horizontal slot 20, and with a vertical hole 21 centrally therethrough.

The part 12, known as the head, is of the cup-shaped form shown in top view in Fig. 5 and in cross-section in Figs. 2 and 8. As noted in Fig. 4, it is provided across the bottom, or underside, with a channel 25 which opens through the bottom into the cup. The base portion of this head is adapted to be received between the converging surfaces 16-16 -of the shank and to seat the parts designated by 19-19 of the shank in the channel 25. When so seated, the surfaces 16-16 of the shank recess flatly engage similarly inclined surfaces 26-26 of the opposite walls of the base portion of the head.

Formed transversely through the base portion of the head 12 is a key passage 30, seen best in Fig. 1, which will register with the slot 20 of the part 18, when the parts are assembled as has been shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The key 14, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, is a flat piece of metal adapted to be projected through the registering passages 30 and 20 to lock the head on the shank. It its the passages without looseness and it is formed with a hole 32 vertically therethrough which is adapted when fully inserted to be registered with the hole 21 formed through the shank part 18.

The part 13, known as the setting, comprises a base portion 35 formed centrally with a vertical, threaded hole 36. Extending upwardly and outwardly from the base portion, at equally angularly spaced intervals, are four prongs 37 between which a jewel or stone such as that designated by numeral 40, is adapted to be received and held in the usual way. The setting 13 is adapted to be received within the cup of the head 12, as has been shown in Fig. 2. Then the stone may be placed in position therein between the prongs, and seated in the prong notches 38.

It is to be observed, by reference to Fig. 5, that the head 12 is substantially circular in form and is provided at the top, at 45 intervals thereabout, with inwardly opening, square cut notches 44 designed to seat the prongs oi the setting 13 therein, thus to hold the setting in proper relationship to the head.

To secure the setting and clamp the stone 40 therein, I provide the screw 15. This is applied upwardly through the registered holes 21 and 32 of the assembled shank member 18 and key 14, passing up through the open base of the head into the threaded hole 36 in the base of the setting 13. Upon tightening the head 15x of the screw against the block 18, the setting will be pulled down into the head and thus the prongs 37 are caused to be sprung toward each other and against the stone to securely hold it. It is noted in Fig. 8, that the head of the screw is received in a counterbore of the hole 21 and is drawn ush with the under surface of the part 18. It will be understood, by reference to Fig. 8, that the screw 15 not only holds the setting in place but also holds the key 14 against any possibility of displacement. The screw can be secured against possible loosening by soldering the head to the shank.

It is to be understood that the head 12 might be ornamented, as herein shown, Or in other ways to enhance the appearance of the ring. However, ornamentation of the parts is not the feature `on which novelty of this invention is based, but rather, it is the disclosed provision of means for easy, and quick replacement or interchange of heads, settings and stones, and the safe and practical means for securing the parts together, that is of primary consideration and in which novelty is thought to reside.

As an additional feature of this invention,-the key 14 is formed with an extended end head 14x. This, when turned to vertical position, is designed to be received as illustrated in Fig. 7, through a slot 60 in a companion ring 62 and then turned to horizontal position to prevent relative turning of the two rings when applied to the wearers finger. The application of this head 14x to the slot 60 or its removal therefrom is possible only when the rings are oit the finger and in a position which will permit the head 14x to be passed through the vertical slot 60.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A ring of the character described, comprising a shank that is recessed at the top to provide a head seating portion, a radially directed hole and a transverse passage through said head seating portion, a head removably titted to the head seating portion of the shank, said head being formed with a downwardly opening channel across the base portion thereof for containing said head seating portion therein, and having opposite side portions overlapping with opposite sides of said seating portion; said opposte side portions of the head having openings therethrough registered with the opposite ends of said transverse passage, a key applied through the transverse passage and registered openings to secure the head to the shank, a jewel setting in said head and a screw applied outwardly through the radially directed hole in the seating portion of the shank, through said key, vand threaded into said jewel setting.

2. A ring as recited in claim l wherein the said shank recess is formed across the top and at opposite sides of the shank recess to provide a head seating portion that is defined by flat, downwardly converging opposite end surfaces, and wherein said head is provided at opposite ends with corresponding converging surfaces that are adapted to be drawn firmly thereagainst by the threading of said screw into the base of said jewel setting.

3. A ring as in claim 2 wherein the jewel setting has upwardly diverging jewel holding prongs engaged with walls of the head and adapted to be forced toward each other by the tightening of the screw.

' References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 403,112 Kafteman May 14, 1889 466,287 Berlepsch Dec. 29, 1891 1,176,028 Betteld Mar. 2l, 191.6 2,493,285 Granat Jan. 3, 1950 2,507,348 Peterson May 9, 1950 

